During Chicago’s Tuesday matchup against the Dallas Stars, the Blackhawks’ defenseman started a breakout with a pass from his own zone. Under pressure from Stars forward Ryan Garbutt, Oduya dipped a shoulder to defend himself. Garbutt was still committed to the hit but didn’t make solid contact, instead glancing off Oduya and losing his balance, which sent his right skate straight into Oduya’s face.

At least near his face, if the 32-year-old blueliner hadn’t been wearing a visor. Luckily for him, Garbutt, every fan in attendance and hockey as a whole, Garbutt’s skate slammed against the shield instead of Oduya’s grill. Still, the Blackhawks defenseman couldn’t believe he escaped unharmed, as he was seen checking himself repeatedly for cuts on the bench.

It’s difficult to imagine the severity of the injury Oduya would have sustained if he hadn’t been wearing the protective visor. Garbutt’s skate, through no fault of his own, would have hit Oduya with full force. At that speed, the concern wouldn’t be for Oduya’s playing career, it might have been for his life.

Freak plays like this indicate two things about the sport of hockey: no matter how safe the league and the players want to make the game, it is, inherently, a violent sport filled with violent events. Garbutt didn’t make a dirty play — it just happened. With that in mind, why would any player put himself in a position to be on Oduya’s end of this play without a visor?

Regardless, Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports catalogs a scrap between two unidentified player agents as undoubtedly the most exciting moment of MLB’s Winter Meetings so far. Just after noon on Wednesday, two men clashed outside the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. According to witnesses who spoke to Passan under the condition of anonymity, the altercation arose from one agent’s accusations that the other was attempting to poach one of his clients.

“Stay the [expletive] away from my guy!” a witnesses heard one of the agents say.

With big free agents Robinson Cano, Brian McCann, Mike Napoli, Carlos Beltran, and Jacoby Ellsbury all signing deals before the Winter Meetings, there hasn’t been much excitement left to come out of the talks in Florida. It would appear that even this fight was less than spectacular, with one witness saying, “It was pathetic. It was the worst fight I’ve ever seen.”

Sure, but the client they were fighting over probably feels like the prettiest girl at the ball.

Check out the unfortunate portrait-shot video of the far-off parking lot altercation below.

Filed under: Headlines, MLB, Offbeat, Owen Ziegler]]>http://nesn.com/2013/12/report-agents-fight-in-parking-lot-at-mlb-winter-meetings-witness-describes-worst-fight-ive-ever-seen-video/feed/00agent-fightnesnozieglerBruins’ Recent Injuries, Involvement in Olympics Could Make Run to Stanley Cup Final Harder Than Everhttp://nesn.com/2013/12/bruins-recent-injuries-involvement-in-olympics-could-hurt-chances-of-late-season-playoff-success/
http://nesn.com/2013/12/bruins-recent-injuries-involvement-in-olympics-could-hurt-chances-of-late-season-playoff-success/#commentsThu, 12 Dec 2013 20:11:39 +0000http://nesn.com/?p=263980Read More »]]>Every team deals with injuries during an NHL season. It just so happens that the Bruins are dealing with all of them at once.

Over one mid-December week, the number of Bruins players lost to injury increased exponentially: since-returned Johnny Boychuk (back), Loui Eriksson (concussion), Chris Kelly (ankle), Dougie Hamilton (lower body) and Daniel Paille (upper body). The team is also dealing with long-term absences from players like Adam McQuaid. Recent call-ups Kevan Miller, Ryan Spooner and Matt Fraser have performed well in their time with the big club, but if head coach Claude Julien expects any kind of top spot in the much-improved Atlantic Division, he’ll have to lean not on this impressive corp of rookies, but his veterans.

Unfortunately, with several Bruins having already played themselves onto Olympic rosters, this could spell disaster for a team with expectations of postseason success.

A number of Bruins are all but locks to play under their home nations’ flags for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Tuukka Rask is not only the best Finnish goalie in the game today, but one of the best in the world — likewise with Slovakian Zdeno Chara on the blue line. David Krejci was the top-line center for the Czech Republic in Vancouver in 2010, and, if he can make it back from injury, Eriksson can continue his role as a mainstay of the impressive Swedish national system since 2003.

It’s safe to say that, if healthy, all of those players will be forgoing a two-week vacation to play an intensely competitive international tournament in Sochi.

Add to that contingent Patrice Bergeron, who, despite his relative lack of offensive flash in comparison to the rest of Team Canada’s hopefuls, has been bandied about as the True North’s best defensive forward and a very likely pick to don his nation’s not-at-all-ugly Olympic sweaters. Veteran Jarome Iginla may also be pegged to add some experience to Team Canada, while Milan Lucic might be called on for some much-needed muscle.

Finally, Carl Soderberg (Sweden) and Torey Krug (USA), both long shots for Olympic consideration before the NHL season began, may have both played themselves into a spot on their national rosters.

All this means that at least four and as many as nine Bruins may be giving their all in Sochi, rather than resting for two weeks at home — a serious exertion that, given the recent spate of injuries, may prove costly late in the season and playoffs.

The Bruins played as late in the 2013 lockout-shortened season as any other team in the league. They haven’t been affixed with the “Stanley Cup hangover” moniker because they came just two games short of actually winning the trophy, but the effects of playing hockey well into June and then starting a full 82-game season mere months later can’t be ignored. Fatigue affects every team in the league, but with their long run through last season’s playoffs, count on it to be twice as tough for the Bruins as their 2013-14 campaign drags on.

So what is Julien to do with a group of players possibly already nearing overextension, and most of whom are set to compete in a mini-playoff halfway through the season? Could he lean on his less experienced players to carry the load as the team approaches the Olympic break?

While his rookies have been surprisingly effective, thrusting players like Reilly Smith and Matt Bartkowski into more prominent roles to save his veteran core some ice time is something Julien can ill afford to do in the Atlantic Division, where the Bruins hold only a three-point lead over the Montreal Canadiens. The surprise success story of Ben Bishop and the Tampa Bay Lightning — both pre- and post-Steven Stamkos’ injury — has added another team to the division mix. Not that he would ever consider it, but Julien does not have the points cushion within the division to ease the burden on his Olympic-bound players. They have to play hard while they’re here to keep what little lead the team has.

The logical answer to this problem is not for the Bruins to adapt to the intrusion of the Olympics, but rather to ignore the games altogether. After all, if fatigue is the issue, a two-week break in February might be exactly what this team needs to rest up and recuperate from its recent dearth of injuries.

Unfortunately for Julien, hockey players are a competitive bunch. Given the chance in any normal Olympic cycle, most players would jump at the opportunity to play under their nation’s banner anyway. But considering that the Sochi Olympics are likely to be the last Olympiad to which the NHL and commissioner Gary Bettman will agree to send their products — rather, players — many may see Sochi as their last chance for international glory. Bettman has already begun his appropriately political support of a league-run “World Cup of Hockey” that would take place in the summer outside the confines of the regular season, a la MLB’s World Baseball Classic.

Julien really is stuck. He can’t baby his players into the Olympic break — he just doesn’t have the points to do it. He can’t force his players to take a break and skip the Olympics — it’ll likely be the last chance they’ll have to compete on such a stage. He can’t ride them as hard as usual — between Sochi and the long playoff run last year, they won’t have the legs come the playoffs.

This Olympic-sized problem may shape up to spell disaster for the Bruins come spring. Fatigue is unavoidable in an 82-game regular season, but Julien will have to do his best to avoid the brunt of it.

For one night only, the Boston Red Sox will transform Fenway Park into the place to ring in the New Year. The event, “New Year’s Eve at Fenway Park,” will run from 5-10 p.m. on Dec. 31st and will feature skating on the NHL-regulation ice surface laid across the infield and access to the “Monster Sled,” a 20-foot-high sledding ramp that runs from the Green Monster to the outfield bullpens.

As part of Citi Frozen Fenway 2014, Red Sox executive vice president/COO Sam Kennedy invited families from across the region to join in the festivities.

“We have the opportunity this year, with an ice rink on the field, to welcome families from all over New England on New Year’s Eve,” Kennedy said. “We are also bringing in a unique ‘Monster Sled’ in the outfield that will add to the fun of the event.”

The last three World Series trophies — 2004, 2007 and 2013 — will be on display at field level and will be available for photographs, as will the areas around the warning track and dugouts. The real highlight, though, comes in the form of concessions: In addition to the regular baseball fare of steaming Fenway Franks and grilled Italian sausages perfect for cold winter nights, kids will receive free hot chocolate in the State Street Pavilion and EMC Club.

As heavy crowds are expected, fans are encouraged to buy their tickets in advance ($40 per person at redsox.com/newyears), at which time they’ll be able to schedule some time to skate on the ice. Fans can also book personal suites complete with dinner and their own personal time on the ice by calling 617-226-6888.

As further proof that skillfully lighting the lamp does not equate to carrying a tune, Alex Ovechkin and his teammates sent a personal holiday message out to their fans on Thursday, courtesy of Monumental Network.

Despite what appears to be their best efforts to rock out to a classic holiday tune, the offbeat drumming by Brooks Laich, the occasionally confused jingle belling by Ovechkin and the pink inflatable saxophone played by drawer-of-the-short-straw Joel Ward remind us all of a very important lesson this holiday season.

It’s the thought that counts.

Some other highlights:

00:19 — Mike Green just wailing on the cowbell.

00:30 — Ward really selling the saxophone. Seriously worthy of a Grammy — even though he’s not making any noise, he still sounds the best.

00:41 — Ovechkin watching one of his bells fall to the floor but knowing it doesn’t matter anyway.

After the team wishes everyone “Happy Holidays,” the dubbed-over music is taken away, and the Capitals give an unplugged performance. Only the brave will make it to the end.

Check out the Capitals’ seasons greetings below.

video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo playerFiled under: Headlines, NHL, Offbeat, Owen Ziegler]]>http://nesn.com/2013/12/alex-ovechkin-washington-capitols-send-seasons-greetings-with-intense-cowbelling-inflatable-saxophone-video/feed/00capitals-christmasnesnozieglerCiti Frozen Fenway 2014 to Feature 20-Foot-High ‘Monster Sled’ in Shadow of Fenway Park’s Green Monster (Photo)http://nesn.com/2013/12/citi-frozen-fenway-2014-to-feature-20-foot-high-monster-sled-in-shadow-of-fenway-parks-green-monster-photo/
http://nesn.com/2013/12/citi-frozen-fenway-2014-to-feature-20-foot-high-monster-sled-in-shadow-of-fenway-parks-green-monster-photo/#commentsThu, 12 Dec 2013 16:31:50 +0000http://nesn.com/?p=263957Read More »]]>Bostonians are used to the particularly cold weather that settles in the city around Christmastime, so it’s no surprise that it doesn’t stop them from having some fun.

Fenway Park, Major League Baseball’s oldest ballpark, will once again be converted into a winter wonderland for Citi Frozen Fenway 2014. In addition to an NHL-regulation ice surface across the infield, center field will feature a 20-foot-high sledding ramp for the first time in the ballpark’s 101-year history.

The 75-foot-long “Monster Sled” will provide a one-of-a-kind thrill ride on the frozen field at Fenway Park. Five lanes will begin by the Green Monster in left-center field and end by the bullpens in right. Scheduled to be ready for use from Dec. 28 to Jan. 13, the Monster Sled will be available to private group rentals of up to 100 people.

Anybody looking to combine their passions for the Red Sox, outdoor hockey and sledding can contact the Red Sox at 617-226-6791 or events@redsox.com to book a slot on the Monster Sled.

The 17-year-old sensation from New Zealand is riding the waves of her hit single “Royals” as far as it’ll take her. The intense scrutiny on not only the singer but the song itself has led to many questioning the inspiration behind the tune. Lorde told VH1 that she’d been inspired by a photo of Brett in an old National Geographic magazine she’d seen, and now that photo has been identified.

The picture of a smiling Brett surrounded by fans brandishing baseballs to be signed appeared in the July 1976 issue of NatGeo, according to Kathy Lu of The Kansas City Star. Something about Brett’s man-of-the-people look and uniform struck a chord with the songwriter, who remarked, “He was a baseball player and his shirt said, ‘Royals.'”

“It was just that word. It’s really cool.”

There’s no word if Brett will receive any royalties (Ha!) for his role in the song’s inception.

After Texans owner Bob McNair fired Gary Kubiak for what the owner called an “unacceptable” string of losses, two of which came against lowly Jacksonville, reports are surfacing of potential long-term replacements for the Houston head coaching position. Defensive coordinator Wade Philips has assumed the spot in an interim capacity, but according to ESPN’s John Clayton, the Texans are actively searching for outside help.

Gruden tops the list of potential candidates to right the already-sunk ship down in Houston. The former Tampa Bay coach won a Super Bowl with the team in 2003. When a spot on an NFL sideline has opened up over the years, Gruden’s name has repeatedly popped up, but the Monday Night Football analyst has stayed put at ESPN. Gruden last helmed the Buccaneers to a 9-7 record in 2008.

Interestingly, Mike Shanahan is the only currently employed coach on Clayton’s list, which could point to some bad information or an indication that Shanahan will soon be available on the open market. Considering Washington’s massively disappointing 3-9 record so far this season, perhaps he’s not long for D.C.

McNair has already stated that he plans to interview former Bears coach Lovie Smith, currently out of work, and Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith lays out the ongoing rehabilitations of Ken Whisenhunt and Tom Cable, former coaches with Arizona and Oakland, respectively, who’re rebuilding solid reputations with other teams. Whisenhunt is currently the offensive coordinator for San Diego and Cable is the offensive line coach for Seattle.

Just as it’s hard to place all the blame on Kubiak for Houston’s nosedive, no coach McNair hires will single-handedly resurrect this team from the depths of the AFC South. It’ll take hard work, dedication and maybe a Gruden Grinder or two.

It’s conference championship day in college football and across the country, tempers are flaring. Some teams are not only fighting for some divisional hardware, but a berth in a BCS bowl game. The stakes are high, especially in the Big 12 Conference, where inter-state rivals No. 6 Oklahoma State University are playing No. 18 Oklahoma. Players will do whatever it takes to get a leg up in games of this magnitude, including busting out the finishing move of a WWE superstar.

In the first half, Oklahoma receiver Jalen Saunders, who would later return a punt for a score, caught a ball along the sideline and was immediately wrapped up by OSU’s Justin Gilbert. Saunders kept fighting for some quality yards after the catch, which only made Gilbert fight back harder. Eventually, Gilbert had enough and picked Saunders off his feet and nearly threw the receiver over his head.

And that, kids, is why you never skip leg day.

Check out Gilbert retaining the world heavyweight title with perfect suplexing technique below via GIFd Sports.

Filed under: College Football, Headlines, Owen Ziegler]]>http://nesn.com/2013/12/osus-justin-gilbert-suplex-tackles-oklahomas-jalen-saunders-forgets-hes-not-in-wwe-gif/feed/00justin-gilbertnesnozieglerjustin-gilbertMarcus Mariota, Oregon Football Team Get Snow Day, Go Sledding On Campus Ahead of Bowl Game (Video)http://nesn.com/2013/12/marcus-mariota-oregon-football-team-get-snow-day-go-sledding-on-campus-ahead-of-bowl-game-video/
http://nesn.com/2013/12/marcus-mariota-oregon-football-team-get-snow-day-go-sledding-on-campus-ahead-of-bowl-game-video/#commentsSat, 07 Dec 2013 18:31:32 +0000http://nesn.com/?p=261814Read More »]]>Neither the snow nor the fleeting chances of a Rose Bowl berth could keep the Ducks from having a little fun.

Much of Oregon and especially the Willamette Valley is digging out from some heavy Friday snow. Oregon’s campus in Eugene saw more than half a foot of snow, and instead of clearing off the field at Autzen Stadium, quarterback Marcus Mariota and his teammates chose to embrace the weather and enjoy the snow.

Armed with several cell phone cameras, a GoPro and much less clothing than should normally be worn in 20-degree weather, the Ducks took to a suitably snowy hill on campus and took turns riding inner tubes down the incline. At one point, they attempt to build a jump out of the white fluffy stuff, apparently unaware that they’re massively built football players that normal highway on-ramps have difficulty supporting.

Check out the video of the Ducks turning into snowbirds below.

Filed under: College Football, Headlines, Owen Ziegler]]>http://nesn.com/2013/12/marcus-mariota-oregon-football-team-get-snow-day-go-sledding-on-campus-ahead-of-bowl-game-video/feed/00oregon-ducksnesnozieglerRed Wings Goalie Jonas Gustavsson Makes Behind-the-Back Matrix-like Save on Devils’ Adam Henrique (Video)http://nesn.com/2013/12/red-wings-goalie-jonas-gustavsson-makes-behind-the-back-matrix-like-save-on-devils-adam-henrique-video/
http://nesn.com/2013/12/red-wings-goalie-jonas-gustavsson-makes-behind-the-back-matrix-like-save-on-devils-adam-henrique-video/#commentsSat, 07 Dec 2013 15:39:06 +0000http://nesn.com/?p=261778Read More »]]>One year ago, Jonas Gustavsson couldn’t stop a beach ball as a netminder for the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, a short drive across the border and a change of scenery in Detroit has quietly restarted the 29-year-old’s career.

Nobody knows that better now than Devils’ center Adam Henrique.

Gustavsson split time with current Leafs goaltender James Reimer for three seasons from 2009-2012. Blame it on goalie coaching or Toronto’s shamelessly poor team defense, but “The Monster” — as he’s affectionately known — saw his save percentage drop below .900 as he only put together one winning record during his Toronto tenure (16-15 in 2009-10).

This season, though, Gustavsson is out from under the magnifying glass of the Toronto hockey media, and in the 10 starts he’s made backing up Red Wings’ regular and U.S. Olympic hopeful Jimmy Howard, Gustavsson is 8-0-1 with a .928 save percentage and a 2.04 GAA.

The Monster is back, and in the second period of Friday’s Red Wings-Devils tilt he made sure Henriqueknew it. Henrique sent a bouncing puck from close quarters toward Gustavsson, but, while the biscuit made its way through Gustavsson’s pads, it never got to the net as The Monster channeled his inner Dominik Hasek by snapping his glove hand behind his back and slapping the puck away from danger.

Details are still scarce, but a fan at what appears to be Wednesday’s Bucks-Pistons matchup apparently enjoyed himself a little too much — or as much is possible at a last-place Bucks home game. Reddit user “put_bacon_on_it” posted a picture, saying that his friend was issued the red warning card for “comments, gestures and/or behaviors that [he] directed at players, coaches, game officials and/or other spectators.” The warning goes on to threaten removal from the game if the fan so much as thinks about booing another player.

To be fair, the NBA has seen a rash of not-so-polite fan-player interactions recently. There was Dwight Howardthrowing a ball at a heckler in Houston. There was Kevin Durant, who, heated during a game against the Blazers, told an aggressive fan to please reconsider his actions and voice his concerns in a less confrontational manner — except not at all like that.

Before NBA fans across the country rush to their keyboard to complain about this apparent crackdown on fun in arenas, consider the location of the fan who received the card. His seat was immediately behind the basket, meaning the likelihood of TV cameras picking up any violent gestures was pretty high. Also, networks typically place microphones around the baselines and wouldn’t love having to dump their audio every five seconds because of an unruly fan. In all probability, this was a targeted and not general warning.

The logic might not comfort fans of notoriously raucous stadiums, like Golden State’s Oracle Arena and Portland’s Moda Center, but they’ll just have to politely disagree with the league or face removal from the discussion.

Filed under: Headlines, NBA, Owen Ziegler]]>http://nesn.com/2013/12/report-nba-slaps-wrist-of-overzealous-fan-with-conduct-warning-card-photo/feed/00fan-warningnesnozieglerf5CujXLReggie Bush ‘Not a Huge Fan’ of Thursday Night Games, Brian Billick Calls Them ‘Mostly Despised’http://nesn.com/2013/12/reggie-bush-not-a-huge-fan-of-thursday-night-games-brian-billick-calls-them-mostly-despised/
http://nesn.com/2013/12/reggie-bush-not-a-huge-fan-of-thursday-night-games-brian-billick-calls-them-mostly-despised/#commentsThu, 05 Dec 2013 17:03:42 +0000http://nesn.com/?p=260942Read More »]]>The NFL has more channels showing more games on more days than ever before. For the average fan, this can be a good thing, but for the players and coaches involved, not so much.

Football can be a brutal game, and that perception has increased in recent years as the true toll of the league’s concussion problem becomes clearer. Commissioner Roger Goodell has instituted several changes aimed at improving player safety — harsher penalties for hits to the head, more stringent concussion testing and financial support of research programs — but according to some players and ex-coaches, the NFL’s insistence on Thursday night games and an expanded schedule might run counter to those goals of player safety.

Eight-year veteran running back Reggie Bush knows better than most the strain that playing even once a week can put on his body. When Thursday night games cut into his recovery time, he says he’s “not a huge fan” of the idea.

“We don’t get a lot of time for our bodies to recover,” Bush told Ashley Dunkrak of CBS Detroit. “Football games — I always try to relate them to for the average person — it’s just like being in a car crash. Like literally every time you’re getting hit is like being in a car crash. It’s tough to get your body back ready that quick for a game on Thursday.”

To go along with the traditional Sunday games and Monday night football, which has run since 1970, the NFL began scheduling games on Thursdays in 2006. The first few years of the program featured just eight games, while the last two years have seen an additional five matchups tacked onto the calendar.

The tight schedule of games almost every other day can wear players down, Bush says.

“I don’t think it’s enough [recovery] time, and I’m glad we only have to do it once,” he said.

Players aren’t the only ones who suffer from a shortened week. Coaches are affected, too.

“We’re not supposed to say this aloud while we’re coaching,” former Baltimore Ravens head coach and current FOX Sports analyst Brian Billick said, “but I can say it now: Players and coaches mostly despise the Thursday games.”

Billick coached the Ravens from 1999-2007, and though he only coached in one Thursday night game, it sounds like he’d seen enough.

“It leads to a schedule that’s even more maniacal than usual for coaches,” he said. “And it’s a physical ordeal for players to recover in time to strap on a helmet Thursday — especially late in the season, when they’ve been beaten up and worn down by the relentless schedule, with only one bye week since early August.”

Despite the legitimate concerns of players and coaches, the NFL has been of a one-track mind lately when it comes to expansion. Whispers of extended playoffs have been swirling for years, and despite the lackluster reputation of the league’s London games, three more for the 2014 season were announced on Dec. 4.

If Reggie Bush was worried about a short week with Thursday games, he better pack his alarm clock when the Lions fly across the pond to play the Falcons on Oct. 26, 2014.

Filed under: Headlines, NFL, Owen Ziegler]]>http://nesn.com/2013/12/reggie-bush-not-a-huge-fan-of-thursday-night-games-brian-billick-calls-them-mostly-despised/feed/00Reggie BushnesnozieglerReggie BushMike Tomlin Calls Intentional Obstruction Accusers ‘Crazy’ Ahead of Likely Fine from NFLhttp://nesn.com/2013/12/mike-tomlin-calls-intentional-obstruction-accusers-crazy-ahead-of-likely-fine-from-nfl/
http://nesn.com/2013/12/mike-tomlin-calls-intentional-obstruction-accusers-crazy-ahead-of-likely-fine-from-nfl/#commentsTue, 03 Dec 2013 04:16:15 +0000http://nesn.com/?p=260051Read More »]]>Amid a terribly disappointing season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been out of the spotlight for almost the entire 2013 campaign. It could even be argued that the severely underwhelming play of Ben Roethlisberger and the once-vaunted Steel Curtain defense has blocked the team from national recognition.

While that pun was intentional in the worst possible way, Mike Tomlin is sticking by his story that his controversial sideline tap dance in Pittsburgh’s Thanksgiving night matchup against the Baltimore Ravens was never meant to obstruct Ravens return man Jacoby Jones. In fact, Tomlin went a step further and questioned anyone who thinks a coach would willfully interfere with a player on the field.

“If anybody thinks I or anybody else would do this on purpose,” Tomlin told Jay Glazer of FOX Football Daily, “they are crazy.”

Tomlin does have a point. Stepping into the path of the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Jones while he runs at a 4.5 40-yard-dash time requires a collection of loose screws even for a fellow player, let alone a coach armed with nothing but a clipboard. Even crazier, though, is Tomlin’s apparent attempt to affect the outcome of the game and thereby return his team to national prominence.

Considering the recent attention, hey, one out of two ain’t bad.

While several critics have called for the Steelers to lose draft picks in addition to any fines handed down by the league, Bill Belichick, of all people, has come to Tomlin’s aid, which, as far as Tomlin’s likeability is concerned, is pretty much a death knell outside of Pittsburgh and Boston.

Whichever way you cut it, the UCLA freshman started the first eight games of the Bruins’ season as a linebacker before coach Jim Mora decided that, heck, why not try the kid on the other side of the ball? In went Jack at running back, where through four games, he racked up 269 yards for an average of 7.1 yards per carry and seven touchdowns. This all came alongside some impressive defensive stats — 72 total tackles good for third among conference freshman, a forced fumble and a clutch interception in the dying seconds of UCLA’s game against the Utah Utes on Oct. 3.

Possibly Jack’s most impressive offensive display came against Arizona, where he gashed through the Wildcats’ defensive line to deliver a dagger of a 66-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

The Pac-12 established both Offensive and Defensive Freshman Player of the Year awards in the 2008 season, and Jack is the first player — and likely last for some time — to win both in the same season. Reading that might leave a bad taste in the mouths of Pac-12 rivals USC and Oregon, but it couldn’t be sweeter for Jack.

The American Music Awards were held on Sunday night, and while most of the nation watched Tom Brady and the Patriots pull off an historic comeback over Peyton Manning‘s Denver Broncos, apparently the Miami Heat superstar was at the very least channel surfing. James tweeted Sunday night that controversial pop star Miley Cyrus was more than just her over-sexualized image.

Miley Cyrus has a great voice! Can sing for real. Just turn down the shananigans a lil and she winning!

See, Miley, talent recognizes talent, though LeBron probably has better odds of twerking up on Erik Spoelstra than Miley does scoring 70 in a game.

The AMAs attracted a whole host of personalities, though, which means there were ample opportunities to catch on video the awkward body convulsions often seen at awards shows that some medical professionals diagnose as “dancing.”

That would be Mavs owner Mark Cuban instagramming himself at the AMAs with some top-notch work on the focus slider.

Photo of the Night

It’s not even Throwback Thursday, though.

UMass has cracked the Top 25 for the first time since 1998, when I was a student there. Also, this pic rules. http://t.co/xZIvzhn3Mp

It’s a down year for the NC State Wolfpack. The team is 0-7 in the ACC and only 3-7 overall. On Saturday, the Wolfpack faced off against inter-state rival, and scourge of Conference USA, Eastern Carolina University. After a back-and-forth first quarter, the Pirates began dominating the game in more ways than just on the scoreboard.

As the first half was winding down, NC State’s Rashard Smith tried to turn a ball upfield for some last yards on a punt return. Unfortunately for him, Deshawn Benton was there, waiting and ready.

Check out the GIF below and see if you can pinpoint the moment where Smith realizes he should’ve just run it out of bounds.

Filed under: College Football, Headlines, Owen Ziegler]]>http://nesn.com/2013/11/east-carolina-universitys-deshawn-benton-lays-bone-crushing-tackle-on-nc-states-rashard-smith-gif/feed/00deshawn-bentonnesnozieglerdeshawn-bentonWho Was the Hurricanes’ First Captain?http://nesn.com/2013/11/who-was-the-hurricanes-first-captain/
http://nesn.com/2013/11/who-was-the-hurricanes-first-captain/#commentsSat, 23 Nov 2013 17:19:16 +0000http://nesn.com/?p=256984Read More »]]>Eric Staal has been the captain of the Carolina Hurricanes since the 2010 season, when he took over for faceoff specialist Rod Brind’Amour.

Now that Jordan Staal has joined his brother in Raleigh, the Staal family is the undisputed core of the future for the 2006 Stanley Cup Champions, though the team’s history stretches much further back than that, even to the franchise’s time in Connecticut as the Hartford Whalers.

Of all the locker room leaders to play for the Carolina Hurricanes, who was the first player to don the “C” for the team?

Answer The Four’s Trivia Question of the Day and enter to win a $50 gift card to one of The Four’s three Boston-area locations. First, read the official rules, completely fill out the entry form and press submit.

Filed under: Headlines, NHL, Owen Ziegler, The Four's Trivia Question of the Day]]>http://nesn.com/2013/11/who-was-the-hurricanes-first-captain/feed/00eric-staalnesnozieglerDwight Howard Gets Technical Foul for Throwing Ball at Heckler (Video)http://nesn.com/2013/11/dwight-howard-gets-technical-foul-for-throwing-ball-at-heckler-video/
http://nesn.com/2013/11/dwight-howard-gets-technical-foul-for-throwing-ball-at-heckler-video/#commentsThu, 21 Nov 2013 18:55:41 +0000http://nesn.com/?p=256392Read More »]]>Sometimes players are able to block out all the distractions and noise and focus on making that one crucial shot. Sometimes they aren’t.

With less than three minutes to go in the fourth quarter and the score within five in Wednesday’s Rockets-Mavericks matchup, Houston center Dwight Howard was fouled on a putback attempt. As Howard collected the ball and began to walk to the line, however, the jeering and heckles that Howard attracts at every road stadium must have hit a nerve. Howard looked to a particular heckler in the crowd, palmed the ball and threw it at the fan in question.

It wasn’t a terribly hard toss by any means, but deliberately throwing the ball into the stands is an automatic technical foul in the NBA. The heckler seemed undeterred, though, almost swatting the ball all the way back to Howard.

Dallas eventually won the game 123-120, a margin so thin that Howard’s antics might deserve serious scrutiny if there was any chance he was going to hit his squandered free throws anyway.

A day after the Tigers and Rangers swapped major pieces Ian Kinsler and Prince Fielder, the Cardinals and Angels may have a deal of their own in the works. While the details are still scarce, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that St. Louis and Los Angeles have discussed a trade that would send third baseman and 2011 playoff hero David Freese to southern California.

Sources: #STLCards, #Angels have discussed a trade that would send 3B David Freese to Anaheim.

After failing to reach the playoffs for several years despite the stellar play of Mike Trout —and because of the underwhelming Albert Pujols —the Angels would make a big splash by acquiring the Cardinals third baseman. Freese began the 2013 season on the disabled list with a back injury and never fully returned to his former glory, putting up a .262 batting average and only nine home runs, well short of his .293/20 marks from 2012.

The Angels may be hoping to fill a hole at third left by utility man Alberto Callaspo, whom they traded to Oakland midway through the season in return for rookie infielder Grant Green. Green put up respectable numbers — .280 average and .336 OBP through 40 games — but even a banged-up Freese would be an upgrade for the Angels.

In return, the Cardinals may be seeking infield help of their own. St. Louis has been without a consistent offensive presence at shortstop since it parted ways with Edgar Renteria in 2004. David Eckstein, Cesar Izturis and Rafael Furcal have all tried to fill that role, but none has stuck around longer than a handful of years. L.A.’s Eric Aybar may be an attractive option for St. Louis — while Aybar is no slugger, he’s put up consistent offensive and defensive numbers over his eight-year career and is also signed through 2016.

If Rosenthal’s sources are right, it’s still unlikely that the Cardinals will deal Freese straight up for a player like Aybar. St. Louis has one of the deepest farm systems in the league, which makes the possibility for add-ons to this potential deal extremely likely.